Ribera del Duero Spanish Wine Country: Rioja For many people, Rioja conjures an image of old Spain—a sepia-tinted, dust-and-old-leather traditionalism. But Rioja these days has transcended that; it's a source for some of the world's top reds, many from wineries designed by architectural luminaries such as Zaha Hadid and Frank Gehry. Located in north-central Spain, Rioja is bordered to the north and south by mountains, in essence making it a corridor where weather is defined by the push-pull of cool Atlantic and warm Mediterranean influences. That interplay gives Rioja's reds both grace and power. Of the three subregions—Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja—the best wines come from Alavesa and Alta, which is also one of the best areas to visit. The atmospheric Barrio de la Estación in Haro, in Rioja Alta, is home to some of Rioja's most historic wineries. And the old-town section of Logroño, also in Alta, is one of the best places in Spain for a late-night tapas crawl.

Photo courtesy of Hotel Viura Where to Stay in Rioja Hotel Viura Next door to a 17th-century church, this design-forward hotel is one of the most striking new structures in Rioja: a stack of glass-fronted cubes set at rakish angles. Last year, the hotel added a wine shop and vinoteca, where winemakers from the region lead monthly tastings. Doubles from $150; hotelviura.com Where to Eat in Rioja Tondeluna Chef Francis Paniego earned Rioja's first Michelin star at his molecular-leaning El Portal de Echaurren. In 2011, he and his wife, Luisa Barrachina, opened this minimalist tapas bar in Logroño. Guests sit at communal blond-wood tables to sample his takes on northern Spanish classics. tondeluna.com Wineries in Rioja Cune This 134-year-old winery is one of Rioja's biggest and most famous, combining the old-school and the avant-garde in both its wines and architecture.

It incorporates three wineries: one, built in Rioja Alta in 1879, produces the famed Imperial; a second, in Rioja Alavesa, launched in 1973; and the latest, which opened in Alavesa in 2004, is the new home of CUNE's elegant Viña Real wines. The Viña Real building is worth visiting for the architecture alone: It looks as though a giant wooden barrel landed right on the Cerro de la Mesa hillside. cvne.com Roda Launched in 1987, Roda is a newcomer by Rioja standards. Built over 19th-century cellars, it's demure-looking and recalls an old-fashioned farmhouse. Inside, though, it's a high-tech facility producing polished reds made with grapes from 17 different vineyards. Guests can tour nearly every part of the winery, including a circa-1890 portion built by the Duke of Moctezuma. roda.es R.

López de Heredia The most visually arresting element of this 136-year-old Rioja Alta winery is its latest addition: a metallic decanter-shaped structure built by futuristic architect Zaha Hadid to house the wine shop and tasting room. But virtually everything else about R. López de Heredia is historic, and defiantly so. Its main winery headquarters is a clutch of 19th-century buildings with cobwebby cellars, and its winemakers age their classic, much-coveted wines for years, the whites taking on a dark-gold hue and a nutty aroma, and the reds acquiring complex aromas and layers of flavor. lopezdeheredia.com Spanish Wine Country: Penedès Spain’s Penedès region spreads inland from the Mediterranean coast less than an hour south of Barcelona, its rolling vineyards eventually bumping up against the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range and the saw-toothed peak of Montserrat. While Penedès produces a wide variety of wines, it is primarily known for cava, Spain’s signature sparkling wine.

Whether from a producer as vast as Freixenet, which produces 140 million bottles each year (and has over seven miles of underground tunnels in which to store them), or from a boutique producer one one-hundreth that size, cava always offers distinctive lemon-lime flavors with a subtle earthy note—and a price that’s less than half that of comparable Champagnes. Where to Stay in Penedès Hotel MasTinell From above, the undulating blue and green tiles on the roof of this new winery hotel evoke a Gaudí sculpture; from the side, stacked wine bottles. Inside, guests can try seasonal Catalan cuisine from esteemed chef Jaume Balada of Mallorca's Plat d'Or. Another attraction: proximity to the artsy coastal town of Sitges. Doubles from $340; hotelmastinell.com Where to Eat in Penedès Roca Bar at Hotel Omm One of the not-to-miss new restaurants in Barcelona, about 45 minutes from Penedès, Roca Bar is run by the Roca brothers (Joan, Jordi and Josep) of the famed El Celler de Can Roca in Girona.

Chef Felip Llufriu serves imaginative dishes—like artichokes with bergamot, and Spanish squash soup with pepitas—alongside classic tapas. hotelomm.es Photo courtesy of Freixenet Wineries in Penedès Freixenet Known for its black-bottled Cordon Negro brut, Freixenet is Spain's biggest cava producer. (It also owns the equally acclaimed cava house Segura Viudas and the California sparkling wine label Gloria Ferrer.) Its top wines, like the 2008 Brut Reserva, are some of the best cavas in Spain. Visitors who book in advance can take an intensive hour-and-a-half-long tour through the winery's 93-year-old cellars that ends, naturally, with samples of Freixenet in the tasting room. freixenet.es Raventós i Blanc The Raventós family has been growing grapes since the 15th century; they founded the famed Codorníu winery in the 1800s, credited with making Spain's first cava. Flash forward to 1982, when the family sold that winery but continued making cava under the label Raventós i Blanc.

Last year, the 21st-generation winemaker Pepe Raventós decided to stop calling his wines cava. Instead, he's trying to create a separate, more specific Denominación de Origen (DO)—a designation that imposes strict controls on wines from a specific area—named after the local Anoia River. Meanwhile, he's continuing to make refined sparkling wines that are surprisingly affordable, at under $25. Visitors who book in advance can visit the gorgeous Raventós i Blanc estate, full of oak trees overlooking the Garraf Massif mountains. raventos.com Juvé y Camps From the vineyards at Juvé y Camps, it's easy to spot Santa María de Montserrat, the mountaintop Benedictine abbey often reputed to be the site of the Holy Grail. But the winery's grounds are a spectacular sight in their own right: The 1,250-acre property sits on green hills planted with olive groves and vineyards that have been growing cava varietals since 1796.

The Juvé y Camps family founded the winery in 1921, and they still make all their wines—including their famed Reserva de la Familia cava and newer Brut Rosé—in a fairly traditional style, using estate-grown grapes. By the end of this year, they expect to have organic certification. The winery complex, redone in 1991, blends in with the area's red-roofed buildings and is open to guests who book in advance; the tours give a fascinating overview of winemaking history in this part of Spain. juveycamps.com Spanish Wine Country: Ribera del Duero Though it's in sunny Spain, Ribera del Duero is one of Europe's highest altitude wine regions, meaning that even in the height of summer, the nights are chilly. That translates to red wines with vivid acidity and powerful flavors—more muscular than the wines of Rioja, but no less balanced. And the region's austere beauty—the white-walled castle above Peñafiel, the dark medieval cellars, the rows of vines spread across the dry landscape—makes it a hauntingly memorable place to visit.

Where to Stay in Ribera del Duero Hotel af Pesquera Winemaker Alejandro Fernández owns the Tinto Pesquera winery, whose intense, dark-fruited reds helped bring Ribera international acclaim in the 1980s. He transformed an early-1900s flour factory into this mod new hotel full of industrial references, like wood-beamed ceilings and stainless steel railings. Doubles from $190, hotelpesquera.com Photo courtesy of The Refectorio at Le Domaine Wineries in Ribera del Duero Abadía Retuerta and Refectorio at Le Domaine Built in 1996 on the site of a medieval monastery where monks once planted grapevines, Abadía Retuerta has grown into one of the Ribera region's most prestigious wineries, producing a number of single-vineyard wines from its own estate. Among its best bottlings are the Pago Negralada and Pago Valdebellón cuvées, both aged for two years; also look for the lower-priced Selección Especial.

The winery has expanded over the past year with its new Refectorio at Le Domaine restaurant, in Abadía's plush Le Domaine hotel. Superstar chef Andoni Luis Aduriz, who runs the astonishing Mugaritz, oversees the menu, working with Refectorio's head chef Pablo Montero to create spectacular dishes like guinea fowl with lobster oil. Guests sit in a former monks' commissary with a 1670 fresco of The Last Supper. abadia-retuerta.com Pago de los Capellanes Known for its impressively complex but very fairly priced Crianza bottling (under $30), as well as its super-expensive top wine, El Picón, this 17-year-old winery is a study in geometry. Its main building is rectangular, with concrete arches and a trapezoidal wing that echoes the shape of the Cuesta Manvirgo mountain nearby. Everything is surrounded by 800-year-old walnut trees, a key reason the owners built on this site.

pagodeloscapellanes.com Protos When Protos launched in 1927, it was one of the first wineries in Ribera (its name means "first"). Since then, the winery has been making the austere style of Tempranillo that is the region's signature. But the building that star architect Richard Rogers built five years ago is anything but austere. Rogers designed its massive roof, made of long terra-cotta pieces, to attract visitors looking down from the Peñafiel Castle on the hill. bodegasprotos.com Advertisement Learn Rioja Wine: Crianza to Gran Reserva Advanced , Rioja , Wine Regions If you love the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon but the fruitiness of Grenache then you’ll love Tempranillo. It’s big wine with high tannin that will buddy up to any piece of rich meat. Tempranillo is a popular grape that grows everywhere, but its homeland is Spain. In Spain, the region famous for Tempranillo is Rioja. Unlike American wine, Rioja uses a system of qualifying their wines making it pretty easy to find what you like. So how are the wines of Rioja classified?

One of the primary qualifications between the different styles is oak-aging . Very basically: the more oak, the higher the quality level. Let’s take a closer look at the different types of red Rioja. Rioja Wine Styles Rioja has a wine control board, called the Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, who inspects the quality of producers to ensure consistency. This is a benefit because wines from Rioja labeled ‘Crianza’ will have a similar taste profile. There are 4 different main styles of Rioja wine. The best way to taste the range would be to taste all 4 next to each other – perhaps a perfect excuse to host a wine tasting party . 4 Styles of Traditional Rioja Wine Rioja formerly “vin joven” Wines in their first or second year, which keep their primary freshness and fruitiness. – riojawine.com Rioja used to be called “vin joven” which literally means “young wine.” Now when a wine is labeled ‘Rioja’ and it’s the base-model Tempranillo , they are baby Tempranillo wines without all the tannin (or the richness) of the other classifications. What they don’t have in structure they make up for in zippy fruit.

Try this level of Rioja as a great example of the true varietal characteristics of Tempranillo wine. Crianza A minimum of one year in casks and a few months in the bottle. For white wines, the minimum cask aging period is 6 months. – riojawine.com Crianza is perhaps the most accessible level of Rioja wines, especially since most can be found for less than $15. At the Crianza level, the wines are most commonly aged in used oak, so the oak flavors are not as strong. The goal of Crianza is a high-quality daily drinking wine. It’s not too rich, but with Tempranillo’s natural high tannin it has quite a bit more body than Merlot . It’s like a great valued Cabernet Sauvignon. Reserva Selected wines of the best vintages with an excellent potential that have been aged for a minimum of 3 years, with at least one year in casks. For white wines, the minimum aging period is 2 years, with at least 6 months in casks. – riojawine.com This is where Rioja tastes serious.

At the Reserva level, winemakers often age their wines longer than the minimum and select better grapes. Many Rioja wine enthusiasts swear by Reserva level because they are a medium between super fruity Crianza and oakey-bottle-aged Gran Reserva. Gran Reserva Selected wines from exceptional vintages which have spent at least 2 years in oak casks and 3 years in the bottle. For white wines, the minimum aging period is 4 years, with at least one year in casks. – riojawine.com The Gran Reserva level of Rioja experiences the most oak-aging. This gives Rioja wine the most tannin structure and age-worthy potential . What’s interesting about Gran Reserva is that most winemakers select the best grapes for this level and age them for as long as the wine needs. This means most of the new release Gran Reservas are around 10 years old or older when you first see them available. Gran Reserva Rioja are ideal wines to cellar up to 30 years. Different styles of Red, Rosé and Red Rioja wines. Taken at Don Jacobo A Move Towards Modern Rioja There’s a new style of winemaking happening in Rioja.

Modern Rioja wines use more French or Hungarian oak (instead of American oak) to make a smoother and rounder wine – usually with less acidity. While these wines are often touted as lacking Rioja’s traditional earthiness, they are a growing category because of high ratings . Need a few recommendations for modern styled Rioja producers? We enjoyed Vivanco , in Rioja Alta; Baron de Ley , in Rioja Baja and Izadi , in Rioja Alavesa. Rioja Wine: In Depth A castle on a hill in front of the Cantabria Mountains in Rioja Alta. Rioja is in North Central Spain. It’s about 2 hours drive from Bilbao in a valley along the Ebro River. The entire valley is moderated by the Sierra Cantabria, a small but jagged mountain range that stops clouds from coming into the Rioja valley. Besides wine, the area is known for its delicious tiny artichokes, white asparagus and piquillo peppers. For wine, the area is split into 3 sections: there’s Rioja Baja, Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa (next to Alava).

Most people will tell you that Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa are better than Rioja Baja but that’s not always the case. You can find great Rioja wines from all over, just pay attention to producer and vintage. Rioja Wine Regions Map In Rioja Alta the temperatures are cooler and the elevation is about 300m higher than Rioja Baja. Because of the elevation and cool temperatures, wines from Rioja Alta have higher tannin and acidity than Rioja Baja – they also tend to be more elegant . The soils in parts of Rioja Alta have a lot of iron oxide giving them a red hue with a high proportion of clay. Rioja Alavesa is next to the neighboring region Alava and also next to Rioja Alta. The wines in Alavesa are more similar to Rioja Alta. There are more rolling hills in these two regions and the best vineyards are on south facing slopes. Around Rioja Alta and Alavesa you can find many ancient fortified castles and monasteries on hilltops. In Rioja Baja the vineyards are on the flatlands going towards the Ebro river.

The soil is more consistent with mostly calcareous soils called Cascajo with stones from ancient floods. The wines from this region are more fruit-forward and the new wineries in the region focus on a richer style wine that’s rounder and more lush. You can still find the characteristic fig flavors in older wines from this region, but generally the wines form Rioja Baja are designed to drink right away. Want to visit Rioja? Wines from La Rioja - Spanish Wine | don Quijote Read the Spanish version One of the many great things about going to a new country is the opportunity to sample the gastronomy of the region, and see the different things it has to offer in comparison to your own country. Although Spain is famed for its delicious food and tapas culture, for wine lovers, Spain, particularly the region of La Rioja, is a Mecca for their drink of choice. Contrary to popular opinion, Rioja wines do not come exclusively from the region of La Rioja. They are also grown in parts of Navarre and in the Basque region of Álava.

La Rioja has a history of wine harvesting that dates back many centuries, in fact, the first scraps of evidence for the Rioja grape emerged in 873 AD. As in the majority of places in the Mediterranean in Medieval times, it was monks who were mainly responsible for the production and distribution of Rioja wines. In 1102, the King of Navarre and Aragon legally recognized Rioja wines for the first time; and in 1650, the quality of Rioja wines was protected by an official document. In 1790, the inaugural meeting of the Real Sociedad Económica de Cosecheros de La Rioja (Royal Economic Society of Rioja Winegrowers) was held, a Society created to increase the growth rate and distribution of Rioja wines. A regulating council came into being in 1926, which limited the areas of production and controlled the use of the name ‘Rioja’, among other duties. In recent years, attempts have been made to market Riojas to a younger demographic, such as with the introduction of a new, more modern logo.

The wine region of La Rioja is divided into 3 parts; Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja, each producing a distinct type of Rioja wine. Rioja Alta is located in the western part of the region. Its higher elevation gives it a shorter growing season, which produces lighter wines with unripe fruit flavors. Rioja Alavesa has a similar climate to Alta, but it produces fuller bodied and more acidic wines. Here there is a poorer soil quality, meaning the vines must be spaced far away from each other in order to create less competition for nutrients. Rioja Baja enjoys a more Mediterranean climate than the other regions, that is, warmer and drier, which can sometimes lead to problems with drought. Many of these vineyards are located in the autonomous community of Navarre. Baja wines have a much deeper color than other Riojas, as well as much higher alcohol levels. They are usually blended with low alcohol wines from other areas throughout La Rioja. Around 85% of wines produced in La Rioja are tintos (red wines), generally comprised of a mixture of grapes, with the most dominant of these being the Tempranillo.

However, the region also produces blancos (white wines) and rosados (rosés). A defining characteristic of Rioja wines is the effect of oak aging, and the pronounced vanilla flavours in the wine. In the 1960s, Rioja wine was used to form the basis of the now typically Spanish Sangría punch. Contact us La Rioja » Spanish Wine Region » CellarTours Map of La Rioja's Wine Region The beautiful wine country of La Rioja is a fascination and historic region, regularly featured on our luxury wine tours . Rioja was demarcated by the area's governing body, the CONSEJO REGULADOR, in 1926. The region extends for approx. 120 km along both sides of the Ebro River and is, at its widest, 50 kilometers, bounded by mountains on either side. In fact, the word "Rioja" is a derivation of the two words "Rio" (River) and "Oja" (name of a tributary of the Ebro, located near the region's southwestern boundary). "La Rioja" has always been a vital part of Spain's history.

Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, and finally, medieval Crusaders have all played a part in the area's history. The Romans, however, made wine a part of their culture wherever they travelled, and La Rioja was no exception. Ancient sites of Roman wineries still exist in and around the area today. After the Romans came the Moors, and wine making all but ceased. It wasn't until after the famous "El Cid" liberated Spain, and medieval Christianity brought trade via the Crusaders through the region, that it flourished again. The Benedictine monks of Cluny in Burgundy, known for their viticulture, helped to establish three monasteries in the area. The vines they planted were mostly white grapes. In the fourteenth century, English traders acquired a taste for a local Rioja wine, which was a blend of white and red wines called Blancos Pardillos. Over time, development of lighter reds came about satisfying eighteenth century English and French courts. The real improvements to Rioja's viticulture began around 1780 when the need to prolong wine during transport brought about experimentation with different woods and preservatives.

Studies were made of the techniques used by great chateaux in Bordeaux. With the outbreak of the Peninsular War, progress was halted until 1852, when the Bordelais came south to Rioja seeking vines because their vineyards had been blighted with "oidium". When phylloxera devastated Bordeaux in the 1870's and the "French" influence really took hold in the Rioja, many of the region's finest bodegas (winery) started production on what we now consider as the great wines of Rioja. Today, Rioja is divided into three regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Baja. Rioja Alta is composed primarily of alluvial soil, calcareous clay and ferruginous clay. As the name suggests, much of this area is in higher altitudes. Approximately 45,000 acres. The Rioja Alavesa terrain is "terraced" and consists mostly of limestone and clay. Approximately 25,000 acres. The Rioja Baja is comprised of alluvial clay with large areas of ferruginous and calcareous clay.

Generally wines from the Baja have a higher alcohol content. Approximately 37,000 acres. Offical D.O. Website: riojawine.com Aging Requirements Sin Crianza: Wine with little or no aging in oak casks. Often referred to as Vino Joven:. Must be comprised of 100% Rioja grapes, as with all Rioja guaranteed origin wines. Crianza: Wine in its 3rd year, matured for at least 1 year in oak cask, at least 1 year in bottle. Reserva: Carefully selected wines, aged for at least three years, of which at least one is in oak cask and the rest in the bottle. Gran Reserva: Wines which have been aged at least two years in oak cask and at least three years in the bottle. Top Rioja winemakers include: Rioja Wine | Discover Spain's Favourite Red Wine | Spanish Fiestas Tweet Without doubt, wine is an integral part of both Spanish culture and cuisine. Rioja is just one of many Spanish wines and it is named after the river, Rio Oja which runs through the Oja Valley in the province of La Rioja in northern Spain.

The wine producing region runs for 120 kilometers down either side of the river which supplies the large quantity of water needed for all fourteen thousand vineyards to reap their harvest. History of Rioja Wine Rioja wine is the product of a long and varied tradition of winemaking in this area, which began in 11th century BC with the Phoenician settlers. Many of the Rioja vineyards were founded by the Ancient Romans, as is the case with several of Europe’s most renowned wine areas. During the latter years of 19th century an epidemic of phylloxera, a worldwide pest of commercial grapevines totally devastated the Bordeaux wine producing regions of France. At this time the French influence took over in Rioja and some of the greatest wines were produced using the long oak ageing method, taken up very enthusiastically by the Riojans. Even today, when Rioja, along with Sherry proves to be the most internationally recognized Spanish wine, there are still several Bodegas making their wines in this oak ageing way.

In 1970 the Regulations for Denominación de Origen were approved and in the early 1990’s the esteemed “Calificada” nomination was awarded to the Rioja region which made it the first Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) in Spain. Geography, Soil and Climate Nestled to the south of the Cantabrian Mountains, which provide protection from the typically fierce northern Spain winds, the region has all the benefits of a continental climate. The biggest part of the region is situated on a plateau around fifteen hundred feet above sea level and experiences an average rainfall of anything between twelve and twenty inches each year. The soil in the area is clay based with a significant concentration of limestone and sandstone, although it is the high content of iron and chalk which provides the red hue in the soil and may well be the reason why the area is known as Rioja (roja is the Spanish word for red). September to October is the usual harvest time for most of the Rioja vineyards and their varied grape varieties which make up red, white and rose wines.

Red Rioja Wines (Tintos) Tempranillo is the most well known and widely used grape to make red wine (tinto). It is a black grape often referred to as Spain’s noble grape which ripens several weeks prior to the other varieties and provides the full bodiedness of red wines. A blend will usually consist of sixty percent Tempranillo and up to twenty percent of Garnacha, with much smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Each and every grape makes the wine unique. The main flavour and aging potential of the wine comes from the Tempranillo grape, with the Garnacha adding body and alcohol, the Mazuelo seasoning flavours and the Graciano providing the aroma. White Rioja Wines (Blancos) The prominent wine here is the Viura, also known as the Macabeo which is blended with some Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca. The Viura supplies the fruit flavor, acidity and a small amount of aroma, the Malvasia adds further aroma and the Garnacha Blanca provides the full body. Rosé Rioja Wines (Rosados) Rose wines are generally produced from Garnacha grapes.

Principal Wine Regions of Rioja The Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Baja are the three principal regions of the area and all produce their own unique variety of Rioja wine. 1. Rioja Alta Located at higher elevations than the other areas and on the western edge of the region, Rioja Alta is famous for its fruity and smooth textured wines. 2. Rioja Alavesa This area produces fuller bodied wines with higher acidity, even though the climate is very similar to that of the Alta region. Within these vineyards the vine density is low and the rows are well spread out with plenty of space between each. The reason for this is that the condition of the soil is relatively poor so the vines need to be distanced so as not to be in competition for the nutrients contained within the soil. 3. Rioja Baja This region is strongly influenced by the Mediterranean climate making it the driest and warmest areas of Rioja. In fact, the summer month droughts can be a serious hazard even with the more recently permitted irrigation systems in place. With some wines reaching 18% volume, this deep red coloured wine can be highly alcoholic when consumed in quantity.

The wines do not normally have much aroma or acidity and are more often that not used with wines from the other regions as blending components. Rioja Wine Classifications There are four categories of classification for red Rioja wine. The youngest takes the simple title of “Rioja”. This particular wine spends less than one year in the oak aging barrel process. The “Crianza” is the second youngest, aged for at least two years, one of which is in oak. “Rioja Reserva” is aged for at least one year in oak and two further years and the last of the classifications is the “Rioja Gran Reserva” requiring two years in oak and a further three in the bottle although the latter two wines are not always produced on an annual basis. There are also wines produced called Semi Crianza. This variety has only had a few months in oak, hence not being able to be given the title of a full Crianza. The classification of wines may appear in writing on the front label or on the neck or back label of the bottle in the form of a stamp known as a consejo.

Red Rioja Wine Labels This means no wood ageing or less than 1 year in wooden casks Vino De Crianza Minimum of 1 years ageing in oak casks and cannot be sold before its 3rd year. Reserva Must have a minimum of 3 years ageing of which 1 must be in oak casks and 2 years ageing in bottle. Gran Reserva Must have a minimum of 5 years ageing of which 2yrs must be in oak casks and 3years ageing in bottle. White Rioja Wine Labels Must be aged for 6 months in oak casks. Reserva Must have 2 yrs ageing with a minimum of 6 months in oak casks. Gran Reserva Must have 4 yrs ageing with a minimum of 6 months in oak casks.Rioja Vintage Years Rioja Wine Tours If you’d like to find out more about the wines of this region take a look at our Rioja Wine Tours .

FREE QUOTE FOR YOUR RIOJA TOUR The Rioja wine region borders southern Navarra, Castilla y Leon and the Basque Coutry and offers visitors not only fine Rioja wines, interesting wine museums and grand dining, but also stunning scenery, prehistoric archaeological findings, medieval towns and fine Riojan manor houses. Gently lying along the Ebro riverbank and extending to the southern slopes of the Cantabrian Mountain range, which protects it from severe northern cold, the micro-climate that the Rioja wine region enjoys makes it a privileged area for producing wine that has earned it its well-deserved fame. Towns and villages like Laguardia, Samaniego, Brinas, Logrono and Haro are good bases to explore wineries from. Additionally, the region offers many picturesque villages and towns, as well as historic castles and monasteries; many of which lie along the great pilgrims' road that leads to Santiago. Monumental Cities and Towns Logro�o: in the capital of La Rioja you can find the 15th century Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Redonda, the Church of San Bartolom� and the Palace of Los Chapiteles, to name just a few attractions.

Santo Domingo de la Calzada: along the road to Santiago, it features a great Gothic Cathedral and Parador, but is best known for its Monasterio de Santo Domingo. San Mill�n de la Cogolla: two important monasteries are found here: the 10th century Monastery of Suso and the 16th century Monastery of Yuso. The first written words in the Spanish language are preserved in a 10th century document kept here. Laguardia: Splendid medieval town where walls and most original buildings and homes are still preserved. History and Geography In prehistoric times, Rioja was inhabited by Celtiberian communities. The Romans occupied the area in the second century BC and maintained control for seven centuries. Later, Germanic tribes came down from the north but were expelled in the 8th century by the Moors. During medieval times, Rioja was a territory disputed over by Castile, Navarre and Arag�n. Around this time Gonzalo de Berceo became the first known author to write his works in the Castilian language. In the past few decades La Rioja has acquired (in 1982) the status of Autonomous Community.

La Rioja may be one of the smallest autonomous communities in Spain in size, but it is a grandiose land. It is located south to the Basque Country and north east of Madrid. La Rioja receives its mild temperatures from the Atlantic, the warmth from the Mediterranean and a harshness from the centre of the Iberian peninsula. Cuisine There are not enough adjectives to define Riojan cuisine. Most famous are stews from the north and mountain areas. Patatas a la riojana (potatoes flavoured with a lightly spicy sausage called chorizo) is one of the most typical dishes, but lamb, trout, cheese, and stuffed peppers are also typical. Rioja produces the perfect companion to any meal: wine. It is no exaggeration to say that there is no other wine that can compare to Rioja. Festivals May: Fiestas in Santo Domingo de la Calzada, including paredes, dances and merry-making. June: Batalla del Vino (Wine Battle) in Haro, an authentic pitched battle with wine. September: La Vendimia is held in Logro�o, a display of traditional grape-treading methods, floats and wine-tasting.

Others Basque Country Bike Tours: Bilbao to Biarritz | Backroads 800-462-2848 Open daily, 6 am - 6 pm Pacific time Thank you to all who created this Basque experience. It was a great cultural and athletic journey. Rick Duha- Winnipeg, MB We love Backroads, and this trip absolutely confirmed for us why we highly recommend Backroads to all our friends. I have already told my friends who have done Backroads trips to put this high/next on their list. We really appreciate Backroads providing us with such a great, active vacation experience - and this one was over-the-top!! Yumi Nakagawa- Oakland, CA One of the best among the many biking trips we have taken. This trip had it all. Great rides, interesting region, wonderful hotels and food and the best guides. Linda Samuelson- Ann Arbor, MI Excellent trip including spectacular biking, beautiful scenery, amazing food and wonderful accommodations. Claudia Gropper- Larkspur, CA Mary Gerodetti- Durango, CO Dates & Prices The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price.

And you can always change your mind—you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due. Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations. Note: * Includes shuttle. Learn more about how we determine our route ratings and fully support a range of abilities and interests. Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources (such as Map My Ride and Garmin devices) may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies. Readings from a Garmin or a smart phone are influenced by other factors such as air pressure. Why Travel with Backroads in French and Spanish Pyrenees We Take Away the Hard Choices If you can't decide between France's mountainous southwest and the scenic wine country just across the border in Spain, we make it easy – with a unique itinerary that combines both. Start out biking among rolling vineyards and medieval hamlets in La Rioja, sampling great vintages as you go; then head into the foothills of the French Pyrenees, discovering the rich Basque culture and its hearty cuisine. With Backroads, two distinct experiences add up to one great trip.

More Leaders to Support You On our French and Spanish Pyrenees trips we have an extra leader supporting you along the road—for a total of three, compared to the industry standard two. So we can be in more places at once, giving personal attention to guests traveling at their own pace. Here's more on our Trip Leaders . A Second Van When You Need It Backroads is the only active travel company providing two support vans in French and Spanish Pyrenees—because we know it's essential to ensure a truly great travel experience. It doubles our ability to be there when you need us to offer hydration, lighten your load or give you a lift if it's time to take a break. Read more on why two vans make all the difference. Everyone at Their Own Pace We design and support our French and Spanish Pyrenees trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.

A Variety of Routes Each Day In French and Spanish Pyrenees you head off each morning after choosing among several expertly designed routes—all with detailed directions, mileage and shuttle options. Unlike trips with one fixed daily route (or worse, one guide that everyone's obliged to follow), you're free to enjoy the best of the region at your pace, stopping wherever you want to explore further. The Best Leaders in French and Spanish Pyrenees Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your trip in French and Spanish Pyrenees, and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip. Great Bikes Included (or Upgrade) Choose a Backroads Custom Titanium or Custom Electric Assist bike—both are included in your trip price. Maybe a Specialized carbon-fiber pro model is more your speed or go for double fun on a tandem. Our fleet is the best in active travel, so you don't have to roll the dice on this vital trip component. Learn why our titanium bikes are ideal for most riders. See the bike options for this trip.

Navigate Your Way in French and Spanish Pyrenees Your ride comes equipped with a Garmin Edge Explore 1000, the best bike-touring GPS device on the market. This is a Backroads exclusive, and it's included with your bike in French and Spanish Pyrenees. If you prefer to bring your own device, we also have downloadable GPS files and of course, our good old paper directions are always available. Read more on why our navigation options are the best. We Know Where We're Going Tom Hale has been keeping Backroads on track, with one eye on the horizon, since 1979. His passion for active travel, and for ensuring the highest-quality travel experience, is evident in every detail we add to make a guest's trip unforgettable—and the fact he's right there in the office, making it happen. To hear Tom describe his vision, watch our video . Your Trip Will Run. Period. Under our Book with Confidence policy, your Backroads trip will run even for one or two people (or a family of three or four), subject to a nominal extra fee. Or transfer to another trip, and we'll give you a credit.

It's all part of our trademark commitment to treating guests with integrity, transparency and total accountability. Read all the details . Regulatory Board of Denominación de Origen Rioja Christmas has arrived in the household with a #wine! #winelover #winetime #wishuponawine #Rioja #Reserva Date: 04/12/2016 17:57 @WineShowTV A soothing Sunday wine in our #AdventCalendar with the Rioja Reserva Bodegas Ondarre from Spain! Read about it here… Date: 04/12/2016 13:00

Question: Rioja Wines come from a region in which country?
Answer: Spain